Rocking the DaisiesAn Eco-Friendly Festival for Music-Loving People

WORDS William Dodd

Rocking the Daisies (RTD) celebrated its 10th birthday with a bang – four days and three nights of one massive, non-stop party. People of all shapes, sizes and colours turned up to celebrate their common love of music and fellowship alongside others in the vibrant rainbow nation.

The atmosphere was a unique and appetising blend of Southern California style, combined with counter-culture hippie vibes from the 1960s and a massive university block party – all tied together with the deep and colourful roots of the South African homeland. Set at the Kloof Wine Estate in Darling, thousands gathered to party, listen, laugh and of course rejoice in the joy of the jive. With everyone there pitching in and playing an equal part in this celebration, it was next to impossible not to have the time of your life.

Thousands of colourful tents connecting everyone together – we wouldn’t have it any other way. Photo: William Dodd

Perhaps the people who offered the heaviest load of light-heartedness were the ones sporting ridiculous, multi-coloured onesies. Some had rabbit ears or antennas, others had tails, but all came with a full dose of laughter. Between those wearing the adult-sized onesies and the classic millennial hippies, there was also no shortage of gym-regulars. In moments when the onesie-wearers and hippies thinned out and the shirtless dudes grew more common, it was easy to forget I was at a music festival rather than a one-thousand man try-out for the national rugby team – ripped and chiselled physiques strutted around in every area. The combination of everyone’s differences, all thrown together in celebration of the same thing, made for an almost surreal environment.

This festival featured big names and some of the best bands and artists around. With endless live music going on in nearly five different places at once, it was impossible to go to the wrong show – the only thing that mattered was what you were feeling at the time. If it was high energy you wanted, the Electronic Dome brought it; if you needed a good laugh, the Lemon Tree Theatre imported fantastic stand-up comedians to do just the trick; and, if you simply wanted to unwind, kick back, relax and listen to some soothing folk music, or have structured conversation about important issues, or maybe even just play a board game, then the Hemp Stage could give you just that. No matter what state of mind, or what type of mood came upon someone, it seemed that RTD provided a solution.

Perhaps the only thing RTD couldn’t give a solution for was the shower line in the morning. People lined up for hours waiting for their moment of sudsy bliss in a hot water shower. Somehow though, perhaps by some act of a higher power, all seemed happy to wait their turn. The real winners in this battle were the ones who just forewent shower time and partied on – however, I’m sure their tent-mates would beg to differ.

Knowing bands like Milky Chance and The Kooks were shoo-ins for the weekend highlight reel, perhaps the greatest surprise of the weekend was the breath-taking performance delivered from Australia’s Cat Empire. This band presented the gift of music in an uncommon package for a weekend music festival, but it certainly hit the spot. With almost as many instruments on the stage as the London Symphony Orchestra, this crew offered a sound totally different and unique from all the others. Cat Empire combined an unusual mix of brass instruments, an upright base and electric vibes for their performance. Overall, it seemed everyone agreed that they were simply masterful.

Out of all the other fantastic groups that didn’t get a chance to perform on the Main Stage, the local band Manouche took the crown for the weekend’s ‘Hidden Gem’ award. They call their style ‘Gypsy Jazz’, and they taught us a little something about their style. With killer vocals and infectious energy from the band’s lead singer, Anneli Kamfer, alongside outstanding background musicians and vocals, this group was a must-see. Who wouldn’t want to get behind a fantastic local band like this anyway?

When the weekend finally came to a close – sadly, but surely – people packed up their tents, picked up their trash and made their way back to wherever they came from. With recycling and trash dispensers around nearly every corner, this eco-friendly event worked hard to make cleaning up after yourself seem easy. One of the few mottos for Daisies is ‘Play Hard, Tread Lightly’, and they gave us the inspiration and the means by which to have great memories, yet leave a small footprint after our departure. Cheers to Rocking the Daisies for paving the way – an incredible festival that doesn’t lose sight of the rest of the world.

After graduating college, William took the plunge into the world of global volunteering, and travelled to Cape Town all the way from Nashville, Tennessee. William is currently working in journalism with hopes of being a positive voice for healing and restoration through the narrative expression.